Airlines Must Act to Protect Disabled Passengers in Emergencies—Here’s How

Last year, while researching and writing my article on emergency airplane evacuations for wheelchair users, I reached out to each of the three major U.S. airlines and multiple flight attendants to learn about evacuation procedures. My friend Robin Wearley, a retired flight attendant, was among them. She confirmed what I already knew: the airlines have no plan to ensure my safety in an emergency.

In sharing my article with WheelchairTravel.org readers and the disability community at large, I was troubled by the reaction. Wheelchair users expect to die in an airplane emergency. They don’t believe that assistance will come in time, and they’ll be unable to evacuate the plane with other passengers.

We can do better. We can develop a plan that will save lives. And so, based on our conversation and with my input, Robin did just that. She created ADAPTS, a safety device that will expedite the evacuation of mobility-impaired passengers in an airplane emergency.

What is ADAPTS?

ADAPTS, A Disabled Passenger Transfer Sling, is a device that can be used to quickly transport passengers with disabilities and injured people to safety anywhere a disaster strikes. It dramatically improves the speed of evacuations and limits the likelihood of additional evacuation-related injuries.

Mock-up of an airline passenger seated on ADAPTS.

Passengers with disabilities sit or transfer onto ADAPTS, which fits directly overtop airplane seats (whether in economy, premium economy, business or first class). The sling cradles the body from the head to the knees, while handles at the ends and on each side allow as few as two people to lift and carry an injured or disabled person to safety.

Product design and specifications for ADAPTS.

ADAPTS is water-resistant and flame retardant, making it useful in any emergency – not only those on airplanes. The product could be used in many scenarios and is adaptable to the particular needs of individual users. ADAPTS is designed to be quick and easy to use in all scenarios, and will dramatically increase the likelihood of a safe evacuation and survival.

What is at stake?

Making air travel safer for wheelchair users will save lives. It’s as simple as that. Unless we outfit every aircraft with an ADAPTS device, people will die. That’s not sensationalism: with increasing numbers of wheelchair users taking to the skies, it is only a matter of time until a passenger with a disability is involved in an airplane evacuation. ADAPTS will help air crews evacuate immobile (and immobilized) passengers to safety.

The airlines aren’t going to buy-in to ADAPTS without significant public support. They fought the Air Carrier Access Act, and will continue to fight any regulations which improve the passenger experience for travelers with disabilities. But ADAPTS isn’t an amenity – it is a life-saving safety device, just as important to people with disabilities as the life jacket.

How can I support ADAPTS?

The official launch of ADAPTS took place less than two weeks ago at the Abilities Expo San Mateo. I visited the ADAPTS team at their booth and donned the yellow t-shirt to show my support for this critical device. If you care about your own safety or the safety of people with disabilities, I ask you to support the ADAPTS movement in two ways, which I have outlined below.

ADAPTS team & supporters at the Abilities Expo in San Mateo, California.

BUY or DONATE via the ADAPTS Kickstarter Campaign!

Without your financial support, ADAPTS will not make it to market. Please support safety in air travel by pre-ordering an ADAPTS for yourself or a loved one, or by making a donation through the ADAPTS Kickstarter campaign. Whether you support the movement with $10 or $10,000, every dollar counts. The lives of travelers with disabilities depend on our commitment to safety.

PETITION CONGRESS to demand that airlines protect the lives of travelers with disabilities!

CLICK HERE and sign your name to a petition calling on Congress to demand that airlines protect people with disabilities. No life is more valuable than another, and it is time that airlines take the lives of all passengers (including those with disabilities) into account when considering safety.

An accessible travel thought leader, John Morris is the globe-trotting Founder of WheelchairTravel.org. He is a graduate of Florida State University, where he earned a Master's degree in history. After a serious car accident, he became a triple amputee. He is a passionate advocate for disability rights and one of the leading authorities on accessible travel.

Comments

Sign-up for the Newsletter

Get the latest accessible travel news & updates sent twice a month for free.

By checking this box, you agree to receive email communication from Wheelchair Travel.